How can I fix a ground fault causing my newly installed arc fault breaker to trip immediately after turning it on?
Asked by Lucas Grewal 
6 months ago
Last Updated: June 5, 2024
The inspector asked for an arc fault breaker, and I found one for 70 bucks. I brought it home, installed it, and it tripped as soon as I turned it on. The troubleshooting guide says there’s a ground fault. Any ideas on why this is happening and how to fix it?
What’s the circuit used for?
It triggered the ‘better call a professional electrician’ warning.
Absolutely
Hey everyone, I’m in the army and aspiring to be an electrician. Can’t get an apprenticeship yet, so looking to learn as much as I can. I’ve gathered some key advice here: “get Milwaukee and Klein tools” and “hire a professional” to get the job done.
Pretty sure it’s tripping because the neutral wire wasn’t connected to the breaker. Remember, when wiring AFCI and FCI breakers, the homerun neutral goes to the breaker along with the hot, and there’s a factory-installed neutral pigtail to the neutral bar.
Don’t worry, many pages have similar information. Take your time to absorb the basics. Thanks for your service👍👍👍
Just plug in the neutral, no need to connect it to the breaker
Hey, remember to connect the homerun neutral to the breaker, but skip the pigtail on the neutral bar
Hey there
: The breaker only has one screw, which is for the hot wire. The neutral is connected through the neutral bar, hence the term ‘plug on neutral’.
No, it’s a plug on neutral so you don’t need to use a pigtail for the neutral bar.
Thank you for your service, Jesse. Choosing a great career. I’ve retired after 42 years working with substations, PM, and troubleshooting breakers and switchgear.
Charkiw
Exactly, it means there’s no awkward-looking pigtail coming off the breaker that needs to be connected to the neutral bar. You still need to connect the hot and neutral wires of the circuit to the breaker
Charkiw hey, check out Siemens, their pon system works differently. I assumed Square D would have figured it out by now
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Charkiw
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Fci
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Cool, that’s a new one for me 👍🏻
Charkiw should only work with siemens products
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Make sure you use this with a panel that has plug-in neutrals.
Neutral is connected to a ground somewhere in the circuit, probably. The challenge is locating it.
Agrees. Let’s start removing neutrals from the bar until it no longer rings out to the ground. Hopefully, there aren’t multiple neutrals tied together somewhere.
Absolutely! , yeah!
You know there is, lol
It’s more likely that there are combined neutrals in a switch box than the ground touching the neutral. I suggest checking around 3-way switches and multi-gang switch boxes.
That’s not good advice for someone who is asking a question like this.
Some of us don’t mind helping out a person. If he doesn’t know how to do the process, he probably won’t attempt it anyway.
Yeah, you should start by removing neutrals while under load, dummy.
James leason If he has enough knowledge about electric work, he should know to turn off the main switch. I bet even someone like you would know to do that. o back to your hole, Mr. Electric.
I bet people like you probably think you’re amazing, but you probably can’t even wire a 3-way switch without checking a picture online to make sure you’re doing it correctly.
Make sure there are no devices plugged into the circuit. Just a heads up.
Is most likely just a bonded neutral bar in the panel. It happens often.
Why are you shouting, ?
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You really have no clue about what this guy did. All you know is he purchased a breaker and put it in. You have no idea if he is an electrician, apprentice, handyman, or homeowner… and yet you recommended that he start removing neutrals from the neutral bar.
You didn’t even bring up the importance of turning off the main. What if he removes a neutral from a 3-wire circuit? What if he gets a shock from an open neutral?
Once again, that is absolutely terrible advice.
You should carefully investigate every junction on that specific branch, without involving other circuits.
One approach could be to examine all the components in the circuit and begin removing devices one by one to check for any ground wire interference with the neutral. It’s vital to meticulously inspect each opening. Also, ensure that the neutrals and grounds are properly separated in the breaker box and not in contact with the neutral supplying the troubled circuit.
There are numerous possibilities to consider in this situation.
It seems like forgetting to put the neutral on the breaker could be a potential issue.
Make sure to unplug everything on that circuit and switch off any lights. If the circuit doesn’t trip, try turning on one thing at a time. But if it still trips with everything disconnected, you should definitely call an electrician!
Make sure you have the right neutral wire connected to the breaker.
Hey, , bingo! My apprentice mixed up the wrong neutral on the breaker and caused it to trip.
Yeah, , that’s usually the issue.
Landers or maybe the neutrals are combined further along the line.
Hey there, ! If a home inspector, not a state or municipal inspector, mentions neutrals shared from a different circuit in a j box or device box, just let them know it’s grandfathered in. Sometimes they overstep their authority!
You might find a neutral connection to share somewhere
Unfortunately, sharing a neutral is not recommended 😜
Sure thing! Here is the revised text:
Denigris: You can combine a neutral with E mod 3 and later, but they’ve taken out the FCI protection from their arc fault breakers. I think the newer Siemens ones are doing the same.
I’ve been dealing with this issue because the circuit next to this breaker keeps making enough noise to trip it frequently. 😬
I’ve been dealing with this because the circuit next to this breaker keeps making enough noise to trip it on a regular basis. 😬
Let’s relocate the breaker
Yep, , that’s the plan. However, if I shut off the power to the house, our internet goes out until I contact the provider to reset it, so it hasn’t been very convenient yet. Just running an extension cord from the garbage disposal to a different circuit until I find the time to address it.
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Can you locate where the ground fault is?
Try using a “Combo” arc fault circuit interrupter instead. It’s designed to handle shared circuits, unlike the one you currently have.
Hey there, Izzy! Just to clarify, the combo arc fault breaker was the second generation of arc fault breakers. The original ones only detected parallel arcs, while the combo ones can detect both parallel and series arc faults. These combo breakers have been required since Jan 1, 2008. Dual function arc fault / FCI breakers can detect series and parallel arc faults as well as ground faults. Interestingly, the first generation of arc fault breakers also detected ground faults at a 30 milliamp threshold. However, E removed the ground fault detection from their AFCI breakers, and Siemens may have done the same. Manufacturers like Square D and Eaton addressed the shared neutral issue with double pole breakers. It’s worth noting that Square D and Eaton single pole AFCI breakers may still not function properly with a shared neutral.
Et 3 more and give them a shot.
Isn’t that what tools like megged and fluke testers are designed for in the field of electrical work?
The grounded conductor is connected to the equipment grounding at some point in the circuit. ‘s advice is right on the money. It’s great to have a professional response and an effective way to troubleshoot. 💪
Hey Chris, could you take a look at my response?
Reach out to an electrician.
Call a licensed electrician because this isn’t a DIY project – show respect for the trade.
“Just and only” new text: Call a licensed electrician because this isn’t a DIY project – show respect for the trade.
It’s likely that the neutrals and grounds are all mixed together, you need to isolate the specific neutral you are using
What’s the deal with involving the inspector?
Let’s fix the ground fault issue.
It’s best to contact a professional
1- What is the intended use?
2- Is it an old or new panel? This distinction matters.
3- New panels have plug-in options with a fault neutral on the bar.
4- Older panels require a neutral wire from the breaker.
5- Is this a new circuit?
6- If you tapped into an old circuit and there’s a fault, the circuit breaker will not function properly. You’ll need a fault receptacle where the old and new circuit meet.
He pointed out the breaker to you.
It’s crucial to understand the purpose of that specific circuit, and have you connected the neutral to the breaker?
It’s alarming to see so many unlicensed individuals claiming to be electricians seeking advice here. They should be removed from the group immediately.
Domingue, it’s true, but why not try to solve it yourself without paying someone else? I handle all my vehicle repairs and occasionally need advice from professionals. Help out whenever you can.
Licensed and insured individuals won’t be hurting their wallets to assist someone who’s in over their head for free.
Those who are trying to problem-solve won’t be paying you for anything anyway, .
Writing up an invoice is one thing, but online, seriously?
Domingue, are you really worried that people will realize it’s not rocket science and with some effort, anyone can figure out most residential scenarios? Commercial is a different story, but it seems like you’re too insecure to provide helpful information, if you even have any.
Hey Domingue, ever consider helping an aspiring electrician learn while they can in the Army? Or even better, why not join the military and serve the USA? It’s humbling.
Finally, someone who understands! Cheers!
No one cared about my job until they needed electrical help. There are very few people here who need assistance with their Black Hawk. And even if someone did need help, I would recommend they hire a qualified 15T, just like I am doing here.
It’s not that complicated. If you can’t understand it, you better not mess with it.
Let the inspector purchase one if he wishes to inspect it.
You have the option to hire an electrician and cease messing around with unfamiliar tasks.
I decided to join this group because I have aspirations of becoming an electrician. Currently serving in the army, I am unable to pursue an apprenticeship at this time. My goal is to absorb as much electrical knowledge as possible from various sources to enhance my skills and competitiveness for the future. One valuable tip I’ve acquired here is to invest in Milwaukee and Klein tools before seeking professional assistance for the job.
Learning about electrical work takes time and dedication, with years of training and experience required before taking the test. It’s not just about asking questions, but also about putting in the effort to understand the concepts.
Everyone starts somewhere, and asking questions is a part of the learning process. ‘t worry, with one correct answer, there may be 20 incorrect ones, but it’s all about learning.
I work as an Electrician
I can definitely solve this
Check your connections as a neutral wire could be causing a short circuit.
Shared electrical wire, like a screw in a lamp, appliance, TV, etc., is damaged.
Make sure to double check that the ground wire is not in contact with the neutral side of the plug and also inspect the wiring in your fixtures for safety measures.
You’re disrespecting our profession by not compensating us with money instead of risking your life.
Make sure to run a new circuit using 12-2 wire
Enjoy yourself 😂
There could be various reasons like a pinched wire, wires touching, or a faulty fixture. I would recommend troubleshooting by breaking down the circuit.
Haha
Open circuit and distinguish neutrals from grounds
Has some good advice, huh?
Oh, , haha, my spelling is terrible, feel free to make fun
Have you connected the neutral wire from that circuit to the neutral terminal on the breaker? Also, I’m not sure if your panel is designed for plug-on neutral.
Can you please place it on the opposite side of the panel?
What makes this a DIY community?
Contact an electrician
Is this a new installation or an old house?
These inquiries are vital for our survival as a business. It’s best to get in touch with an electrician. They have the expertise to identify the issue.
Double check that the neutral is only connected to devices in that specific circuit. If you use that neutral for something else, it will keep tripping.
I really don’t like those. There’s probably nothing wrong with them. They always seem to make an arc.
Et an electrician on the line
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Bring on an electrician
Make sure to reach out to a professional electrician before risking a fire in your home.
Take out all the devices on that circuit and double check that the wires are not touching
Neutral is connected to the ground or making contact with the ground somewhere in the circuit
These connections are quite delicate… they can trip due to loose connections, neutrals from different circuits, or heavy loads from motors and other appliances… good luck with your troubleshooting!